Man and Machine
by isoner
Summary: Chapter 8 now up. The Galactica confronts Lucifer's forces.
1. Chapter 1

Man and Machine

"Alert! Alert!" a strong male voice announced over the loudspeakers of the Draconian Star Fortress Draconia, "Hostile forces have invaded the ship! Hostile forces have invaded the ship! Prepare to repel boarders!"

Kane, sometimes known as the notorious Killer Kane, betrayer of Earth, regained his footing. An explosion had overloaded the ships gyroscopes, causing the entire ship to lurch, knocking him from his feet.

On the video screen in front of him he continued to watch as wave after wave of his hatchet fighters were being wiped out by strange spacecraft. The Draconian fighters were putting up a terrific fight, but they were outnumbered three to one.

The enemy ships, round flying wings, liked to isolate a target, then surround it. They would then destroy the ship utterly with laser fire, their target being the center of a deadly pinwheel.

"Find the base ship for these attackers," Kane commanded, "If we can go toe to toe with that, then we still have a chance of winning this engagement.

"I have located their base ship," one of the Draconians reported.

"Well, where is it?"

"Out of range," he reported, "It's too far out of our range, we will never make it before we are destroyed by their fighters."

"I don't care!" Kane ordered, "Set intercept course, and make for it at full speed!"

"Yes Commander!"

The sound of laser fire could be heard outside the bridge.

"Lock the controls!" Kane ordered, "I don't want anyone altering our course away from their base ship!"

"Princess Ardala's escape craft has left the area."

Kane allowed himself to breathe a little easier. The Princess had escaped. She would take word of these new invaders into Draconian space back to her father, Emperor Draco. While Kane and his crew may not survive, they could rest easy in the certain fact that they would be avenged!

In a shower of sparks and billowing smoke, the door to the bridge burst open. First through the door were two Draconian guards who flew through the air back first, their brown samurai style armor smoking from laser hits. The guards were followed by two giants in shiny black and chrome armor, each holding a laser rifle.

It took a moment, but Kane began to wonder if maybe it wasn't body armor. The invaders may be wholly mechanical. While humanoid, were their eyes should be was a single glowing red light that ominously swept back and forth, surveying the entire room with each sweep.

The Draconian running the command console whipped out his pistol and aimed a shot at the nearest invading Centurion. The reflective chrome served to dissipate most of the laser damage away from the robot. The Centurion coldly leveled its own rifle and fired a disabling shot that caused the Draconian to drop his weapon without killing him.

The Centurion shouldered it's rifle, and drew a broadsword, which it leveled at the Draconian.

"Identify your species and planet of origin," the Centurion intoned in a heavily modulated voice.

More robotic Centurions entered the bridge, followed by another one in gold. The remaining Draconian's were quickly disarmed.

"This is the ship, Draconia, of the Draconian Star Empire!" Kane spoke for his crew, "Lord Draco is the undisputed ruler of over three fourths of this galaxy! Free us if you hope to live!"

"I am unable to interface with the ship computers," a Centurion reported.

"Your species is catalogued as Draconian. Surrender now, and there may be a future for you within the Alliance," the Gold Centurion said to one of the bridge officers.

The officer spared a glance at Kane's impassive face before answering, "never."

Without hesitation the sword moved and one by one all the Draconians were cut down.

"Your species is not Draconian," the gold one said to Kane.

"No," Kane answered, keeping his gaze impassive, "I am a human, from Earth. I serve Lord Draco—"

"Earth," the Gold Centurion cut him off. "The mythological home of the thirteenth tribe of Humanity; the intended destination of the Battlestar Galactica and its ragtag fleet of human survivors. You will reveal to us the location of this planet."

"I will not," Kane answered, his voice carrying a sense of resolve he so rarely felt.

"Take him for interrogation," the gold one commanded, and two silver Centurions moved to obey.

Struggle as he might, Kane was powerless as they dragged him away with them back to their boarding craft and then back to their Base Ship.

-o-

"By Your Command," a Cylon centurion waited to be acknowledged by his Imperious Leader.

"Speak, Centurion," the Imperious Leader said. His voice was not modulated, but was deep, rich and timeless.

"One of our extra galactic Base Ships has reported contact with a new force. The initial engagement was won, but the enemy displayed considerable resistance. They claim to control more than half their galaxy."

"It is of no consequence. They will either serve the Cylons as part of our Alliance or they will be destroyed."

"The report is not complete."

"Continue, Centurion."

"The Base Star took a captive; a human claiming to be from the planet Earth."

"Mobilize the fleets," the Imperious Leader commanded, both to the reporting Centurion and along the invisible data ports that connected him to the rest of the Cylon Empire. "At last, the final refuge of the life form known as Man is within our grasp."

"What of the ships pursuing the Galactica?"

"They shall continue. Their task will become that much easier once the Battlestar Galactica's destination is no more."

Author's Note:

Just what I needed, my muse demands that I start on yet another open project in addition to the others that I am still working on. There are other Battlestar/Buck Rogers crossovers out there, although most of the predate 's crossover section. I promise that this will include a few twists that are completely new.

When it comes down to it, this is not Just a crossover between the Original Galactica and Buck Rogers in the 25th century. It will also make some references to the new BSG series, as well as two previously unrelated properties. It will build from a story that is on my flickr account.


	2. Chapter 2

Man and Machine 2

"Well, to be honest," Princess Ardala said, "It is a very pretty ship. Full of pleasant amenities, although it could use a pool or at least larger bathing tubs, but it is woefully under armed and it's defensive capabilities are a joke. And isn't this corridor of Draconian design?'

"Oh, Im sure that there are hundreds of different ships with corridors that look like this," Buck said, "and I'm sure I mentioned, didn't I, that the Searcher is an exploration ship. Its not designed for combat."

"Well, if you ask me, with a ship like this, going out into uncharted space, I think that silly computer council of yours is trying to send you on a suicide mission."

"Well, there have been moments when I thought the same thing," Buck found himself saying, "but never mind that, Princess. Admiral Asimov ordered me to give you this tour of our ship, against my better judgment, as a peace offering. You said you had some information for us, so lets have it."

"Direct as ever, Captain." Ardala said with a smile. "It's a good think you are cute, or I might take offence with your attitude. Still, you could make it up to me… or you could have that adorable Bird Man do it."

"Hawk is his own man, if he wants to talk to you, he will. I will of course advise him against it."

"There you go again, with that Rogers wit of yours."

Buck Rogers was about to say something else guaranteed to start an interstellar incident, but the Princess cut him off.

"Have you made the course correction that I advised?" she asked.

"Dr. Goodfellow and Crichton didn't scan anything in that direction, but we made the course correction. We are prepared to play this your way," Buck said, "for now."

"Good," the Princess said, "What I have come to tell you, at great personal risk, is important, and I don't want to have to repeat myself. Take me to one of those conference rooms, I am prepared to address your command staff now."

-o-

Tiger Man and Panter Man each stood behind the Princess Ardala as she seated herself at the conference table. The two impassively imposing men glared at every human in the room, especially Captain Buck Rogers.

On the opposite side of the table sat Admiral Asimov, Captain Buck Rogers, Col. Wilma Deering, Hawk, and Dr. Goodfellow. Behind them, waited the short humanoid drone Twiki and the tall lanky non-humanoid robot Crichton. Buck tried to remain impassively watchful of the Princess, while Wilma tried to dissect each look that passed between Buck and the Princess. Hawk remained completely silent and impassive, although he kept a hand on Dr. Goodfellow to keep him from wandering to the other side of the table as he was muttering to himself about everything from the rare jewels in Ardala's revealing dress to the probable ancestry her bodyguards. Of the Earth delegation only the Admiral was openly prepared to be diplomatic and civil.

"Ill come straight to the point," Princess Ardala started, "The Draconian Empire is currently at war."

"so you have come to ask for Earth's military support?" Wilma asked.

"Don't be absurd. The Draconian Empire needs help from no one, least of all a little world like yours. Besides, I would be holding that conversation with your Dr. Huer on Earth, and not here. No. I am here to offer you a friendly warning."

"Then you want us to stay out of the way?" Asimov asked. "We would be willing to allow you to use the Searcher as a neutral point for peace negotiations."

"I believe that would be a very poor move on your part. These aliens that are invading us are a robotic race that calls themselves the Cylon. They seem to have a fixation on humans, and demand that before they enter any negotiations with us, that we reveal to them the location of your Earth," Ardala said. "I have encouraged my father not to reveal this information to them. For now."

"Why are you protecting us, Princess?" Buck asked.

"Assuming that she is protecting us," Hawk calmly added.

"I am rather fond of humans," Ardala said, smiling at Buck, then she glanced over at Wilma, "certain humans. In the first attack, they captured Kane, after learning he was from Earth. I doubt he will reveal anything to them in interrogation, but if they should learn your world's location, this Kane will likely be killed. I was rather fond of Kane, he was always so… faithful."

"It's a wonder she knows what the word means," Wilma whispered to Buck. He gave Wilma a guilty look in return.

"Besides," Ardala said, "it would be unthinkable for the Cylon to invade Earth. With such a strategically placed world, they would be in a better place to strike against us."

"Especially if the Cylon suddenly found it difficult to tell the difference between Humans and Draconians."

"Indeed," Ardala agreed.

"I didn't think that Earth was strategically placed," Wilma said.

"It isn't," Ardala said, "But it would be if a powerful enemy took possession of the planet, able to strike at us from two different fronts.

"So what do you want of us?' Admiral Asimov asked.

"I am playing a hunch," the Princess answered. "A few weeks ago, one of our patrols reported contact with an unknown contact. Per standard protocol, we attacked them, but our patrol was lost. If they changed course to avoid us, then you should run across them along this course."

"Are you sure your patrol didn't run across more Cylon?" Hawk asked.

"Quite sure," the Princess replied. "The Cylons seem to operate the same way that we do. When our respective patrol craft found each other, the situation simply escalated, resulting in the loss of my flag ship."

"That must make it very difficult to make new allies, don't you know… if you always attack first… or do you only attack if there is no communication attempts first?" Dr. Goodfellow said, but was largely ignored.

"Emperor Draco is the finest leader of our time," Wilma said, "if those are the tactics that work for him, perhaps we should adopt some of them ourselves?"

"Wilma, I may not have met the guy, but however powerful he is, everything I have heard about the gun, he sounds like just another petty tyrant. Earth use to have hundreds just like him."

"Buck, you are talking about your future father-in-law. As I was saying, it seems to me," the Princess continued, "That since the Cylon seem to have prior knowledge of Humans, but not of this galaxy the source of this other patrol, that is very good at eluding detection, could be the very thing your Searcher is looking for."

-o-

"We can't trust her, Buck" Wilma said, while the two of them were walking along the corridor.

"Nobody said anything about trusting her," Buck said, "but there still may be something worth checking out about her story."

"I just feel we are walking right into a trap," Wilma said.

"Of course we are, Wilma," Buck said with a smile, "the thing is, this time I'm not sure the trap is for us this time. Still, she will be off the ship in a few hours."

"This marks a momentous occasion then," Wilma said.

"What do you mean?"

"This is the first time she is leaving without trying to take you with her."

"Well, she still has a few hours yet."

-o-

Kane remembered being cold. He remembered pain. He remembered questions. Questions about Earth, and about things he had never heard of before.

Despite the pain, Kane was grateful. If the Cylon interrogator had been Draconian, he would have been forced to reveal all he knew and more. These Cylon machines were amatures.

Slowly he opened his eyes to see an emaciated man standing over him with a grin that was just as trust worth as the grin on a hungry hyena.

"Welcome, my friend," the man said, "looks like you are their new favorite toy. You must have some juicy secrets, eh? What is your name?"

"I am Kane."

"The legendary Commander Cain of the Pegasus?" the man said, recoiling back in horror. "I thought you were older… and dead."

"What are you talking about," Kane said, "I am Kane of the Draconian Empire, and consort to Princess of the Realm, Ardala."

The other man came closer, "Well then, Kane. I am Baltar. Former commander in the Cylon Empire, now fallen on hard times, and left here to rot, after the Cylons picked me up from where the Galactica marooned me."

"So, you betrayed your own people for a position of power within the Cylon Empire," Kane said. "I know your kind very well."

"How could you possibly know all that?" Baltar asked.

"We are very much alike, you and I. I once betrayed Earth for a position of power within the Draconian Empire. So what happened to all that power you once had?"

"Earth?" Baltar said, shocked. "So after all these yahrens, Adama was right. Earth does exist! You must tell me, where is it?"

"You seriously expect me to just tell you that, after the Cylons tortured me for hours for just that information. My life will end the moment I divulge that information. Either at the hands of the Cylons, or by you, so you can use the information to barter your way back into power."

Baltar burst into maniacal laughter. "Yes, my friend, you do know me all too well. I can tell we are going to be very good friends. The Cylon who rescued me from the planet I was marooned on, thinks that I betrayed the Cylons to the Colonials. After all, who can trust a betrayer? Now, if it had been Lucifer, he would have listened to me at the very least. Lucifer would have understood."

"You are mad." Kane observed.

Frothing with wide eyes and an even wider grin, Baltar looked over at his new friend and nodded in agreement. If he agreed that he was mad, or with some other real or imagined comment, only the Lords knew.


	3. Chapter 3

Man and Machine 3

Everything was white. His uniform, the walls, floor, ceiling, even the ghostly apparitions who were speaking with him were all white. His two companions were to either side of him. Starbuck was on one side, and Sheba was on the other.

Apollo spent and extra uncomfortable moment looking at Sheba as a wave of sadness and longing overcame him.

"Are we dreaming?" Starbuck asked.

"Yes," a faceless voice said.

"What do you want of us?" Sheba asked.

"It is what you want of us," the voice answered.

"I don't understand," Apollo said.

"Now that the Cylons again track you, you worry about your friends on Terra and Paradeen," the voice said to Starbuck. "That hidden enclave of humanity shall be hidden for a time. The Cylons will not discover them until such a time as they are able to defend themselves."

"You worry about your companions that your spirit has never abandoned," the voice said to Sheba, "we will do what we can, but we may not interfere."

"And me?" Apollo asked.

"You want an end to your long journey, to at last bring the remnants of the twelve colonies of the second exodus from Kobol to Earth," the voice said.

"And?" Apollo demanded, his anxiety rising.

-o-

Apollo woke in his viper to the sound of an alert klaxon. He wiped a tear from his eye.

"How long was I on sleep period?" he asked.

"No time for that," Starbuck answered, his voice uncharacteristically serious. "I'm reading two targets up ahead. Still too far out for life signs. War book can't identify them."

"Didn't they update the war book after our last hostile contact?"

"Yes they did, and still no match."

Apollo checked his scopes. He could see Starbuck up ahead of him, but nothing else was on the scanner. "I'm coming up alongside you," he said then kicked in his turbos.

At the press of a button, blue flame erupted from the back of Apollo's three winged Viper, propelling him forward.

"I had another one of those weird dreams," Apollo said.

"Yeah, me too," Starbuck said, "still, with each new contact, it makes you think, maybe this is the one."

Once he was closer, the two ships appeared on his own scanners too. He did his own scans of the ships. They were probably fighters, based on their speed and size. Each ship was of a completely different design from the other, and they weren't fighting each other. Life signs… one unidentified humanoid, the other was… human.

Don't get excited. Don't get your expectations too high or it could blow up like it did near Paradeen. What should he say to them? Should he mention where he was from? If he did, and they turned out to be allies of the Cylons, then the Cylons would be able to find the fleet. "I'm switching to Unicom. Attention unidentified ships. This is Strike Captain Apollo, please identify yourselves."

There was a pause before finally, "This is Captain William 'Buck' Rogers of the… "an unexpected pause, "Of the Protectorate ship Searcher. Would you mind identifying your species and planet of origin?"

Apollo could hear Starbuck's objections and urging of caution without the lieutenant ever saying anything. Or was Starbuck silently urging him recklessly forward. "Human from the planet Caprica. What is your planet of origin, Captain Rogers."

"I am Hawk, from the planet Throm," came another deeper sounding voice. "I have never heard of a world called Caprica."

"Caprica, was one of 12 inhabitable worlds in our home system, a galaxy away from here. It is little wonder if you have not heard of it. What about you, Captain Rogers? Are you from Throm too?"

"No, Strike Captain Apollo. I'm from planet Earth."

"At last," Apollo whispered to himself.

"Did you hear that, Apollo!" said an overjoyed Starbuck.

"Stay calm, Starbuck. There is still a lot we don't know," Apollo cautioned.

"Are you still there, Strike Captain Apollo?" Buck Rogers said.

"Yes! Yes, Captain. Can we set down somewhere to talk. You may be the link we need to something we have been searching for, for a very long time."

"Likewise, Captain, likewise. Form up and follow us back to our ship."

Author's Note:

Finally! Just a few more formalities to clear through, then the story will start to get interesting.


	4. Chapter 4

Man and Machine 4

The tension was intense throughout the Searcher. Everyone, every last crewmember and passenger was on edge. The unknown was at hand, and everyone was on edge, but none were more on edge than the deck hands that stood at the edge of the Searcher's landing bay. Normally when ships arrived, they would swarm over them, refuel them, and get them ready for launch again, but this time they stood around the edges of the bay for fear of starting an intergalactic incident.

Lined up along the landing bay were four ships. One starfighter was sleek, which looked like two spears with engines on the back and laser mounts on the front, winglets on the sides with larger foils underneath and in between the spears were a long flat section where the cockpit was mounted. The next starfighter was a little more bulky built along a bird motif, including talon landing skids. The last two fighters were Colonial Vipers, with an intake in the nose of the craft, a single pilot cockpit just before three large turbocharged engines, and three wings, the lower two were angled with blasters mounted next to the fuselage.

Admiral Asimov entered the bay wearing his finest dress uniform, flanked by Wilma Deering and Dr. Goodfellow, Crichton and Twiki.

The birdman, Hawk, wearing his usual black leather and armor. As soon as his feet hit the ground, he moved over beside Col. Deering.

Buck Rogers climbed out of his starfighter, wearing his white Earth Protectorate uniform, which he found to be his preferred pressure suit while flying. Instead of joining Wilma and the others, he walked over to the Vipers, and waited for the two unknown pilots to exit their fighters.

It took a few uncertain moments for the Viper cockpits to open. After all, the pilots first had to check that the atmosphere was safe, and biological hazards, decide what to even say.

Slowly the cockpits to the Vipers opened, and the two Colonial Warriors climbed out of their respective machines. They each wore beige and brown uniforms, with holstered sidearms on their hips. One of the men had brown hair, while the other was blond.

"Welcome to the Searcher," said Buck Rogers, "I'm Captain Rogers, but you can call me Buck." Buck said, offering his hand.

"Captain Apollo," the brown haired man said, shaking the offered hand, "and this is Lt. Starbuck."

Buck walked the two men over to the waiting entourage. "Allow me to introduce the Captain of this magnificent vessel, Admiral Asimov. The lovely lady is Colonel Wilma Deering. You have already met Hawk, the elderly gentleman, barely able to contain his questions is Dr. Goodfellow. The little guy over there is Twiki."

"Biddi-biddi-biddi… How ya doing?" the little droid said.

"The tall annoying one is Crichton."

"How are you doing? I do hope the humans where you come from, are more enlightened than the ones I have been forced to endure," the tall robot said.

"As the Captain of this vessel, and the commander of this expedition," the Admiral said, "I welcome both of you to the Searcher. The Searcher's mission is to seek out and discover the lost tribes of mankind, and this is our first real success in that mission. It is my hope that this is the first step to establishing peaceful relations between our peoples."

Captain Apollo extended his hand in greetings to the Admiral, "That is a hope that we both share. I regret, however that this initial visit will have to be a quick one. If we don't get back to the fleet, they will change course and move on without us. Before we go, there are important things we need to discuss."

"I have a conference room waiting, if you can spare the time," the Admiral said.

Apollo agreed and the two Colonial Warriors followed the Earth representatives down the hallway to a nearby conference room.

"Do you get the impression you have seen that doctor fellow before?" Starbuck whispered to Apollo.

"He looks just like Councilman Anton," Apollo whispered back, "you should attend more Council Meetings."

The two parties gathered around the small council table.

"You say that your mission is to seek out other tribes of humanity," Apollo said. "That's funny, because for the longest time, our goal has been to find the lost Thirteenth Tribe, believed to have settled on a planet called Earth."

"Remarkable, my lad, quite remarkable…" Dr. Goodfellow started, but was quickly hushed by Wilma.

"In the interest of openness, you need to know that we are a hunted people. Our biggest fear was to discover finally find Earth, only to discover that it was not technicaly advanced enough to help us in our fight against the Cylon," Apollo said. "But we cannot ask you to take on our enemy unawares. If you do not want to run the risk of sheltering us and bringing the wrath of the Cylon Empire upon you, then just say the word, and we will head out to deep space—"

"Apollo!" Starbuck exclaimed, but was silenced by a look from his friend.

"I don't know what we would tell our people," Apollo continued, "but we can find a new destination, and try to lead the Cylons away from you."

"I am afraid, Captain Apollo," the Admiral said, "That your enemy has already found us. They do not yet know the exact location of Earth, but since they are currently fighting the Draconian Empire, I feel it is just a matter of time before they succeed in finding us. Our planet would be better prepared if we had your intelligence and expertise to assist us against this new enemy that seems to want to eliminate all of Humanity, regardless of its planet of origin."

"I am glad you feel that way," Apollo said, breathing a sigh of relief. He had not even realized he had been holding his breath. "I need to get back to the Fleet to let them know the good news, but first, we need to establish a rendezvous point so we can exchange further information.


	5. Chapter 5

Man and Machine 5

"My god, look at the size of it," Wilma whispered to herself.

"The size of all of them," Buck answered, sitting in the seat next to her of the two person starfighter they took to rendezvous with the Galactica and it's fleet. The immense warship, the Battlestar Galactica loomed in front of them, with its massive center hull with two landing pods mounted to either side of the hull, joined by three massive struts. Beyond the Galactica, they could see many of the ships of the fleet, every single one of them was the size of the Searcher or larger, and they came in every shape and style imaginable.

Although originally hesitant to join them on this purely human mission, Hawk flew alongside Buck and Wilma's fighter. In his second seat, sat Dr. Goodfellow who had talked his way into coming along.

The two fighters were met by a Viper escort, who escorted them on a flyby of the Galactica, and around for a landing on the aft landing deck of Alpha landing bay.

The starfighter pilots heard the pop as they pierced the air shield that kept the air within the bay, and touched down about mid ship where the reception party was waiting.

When Buck Rogers stepped out onto the deck, he could almost forget that he was standing in a ship. It was even larger than the largest Aircraft carrier he had ever seen, and to think, the Galactica had two such bays.

Crowds were being held at bay at each of the deck's entrances by men in black security uniforms, while other men wearing the brown and khaki uniform lined the bay as an honor guard.

Captain Rogers and the others exited their fighters, as they were greeted by Captain Apollo, who escorted them to the white haired man at the head of the welcoming committee.

"Captain Rogers, Col. Deering, Hawk, and Dr. Goodfellow," Apollo said, "allow me to introduce you to Commander Adama, my father and commander of the Galactica."

"We are here so we can all get to know each other better, so we can both figure out how best to proceed," Col. Wilma Deering said. "Our ship's mission may be to seek out the lost tribes of mankind, but this is the first time we have met anyone from a radically different culture."

"We will, of course send you back with a copy of all the data we gather from your visit, as well as corresponding data on us. This is actually the second time we have encountered a human culture significantly different from our own," Adama said, "unfortunately, we determined it was best to leave them be with limited interference."

"Some aspects of our technologies seem very similar," Buck said.

"Although, there are some areas where the technology levels are vastly different," Dr. Goodfellow observed, "It will be so fascinating to explore the reasons for the differences. I imagine that most of the reasons are as much historically related as they are culturally. I note from your flight helmets and tunics some elements of Egyptian design. I wonder…" 

"Egyptian?" Adama asked.

"Egypt was an ancient Earth nation," Buck provided. "In ancient times they were rumored to be more advanced that the rest of the world. You will have to forgive our Dr. Goodfellow, he can get a bit carried away."

"Well, it is just those cultural differences we need to decipher," Adama said. "They will hold the key to how we decide to proceed. How can we best help each other? Should we even attempt to integrate our peoples?"

"There is plenty of room on Earth left to be repopulated after the Holocaust," Buck suggested.

"Buck, you must remember," Wilma interjected, "that much of that land is uninhabitable due to radioactivity. To say nothing of the mutants."

"Clearly much history must be shared between us," Adama said, "and there will be plenty of time to go over everything in detail. Now, if you will be kind enough to accompany me, I shall begin our 'working tour' as it were."

The Earth delegation followed Adama, Starbuck and Apollo as they led them down a hallway to one of the lifts.

"This is the only surviving warship we have," Apollo said, "The Battlestar Galactica. It serves both as a launch platform for our fighters, as well as a weapons platform. Her primary goal is to protect this fleet of just under 220 ships that contain all that remains of the Twelve Colonies."

"You call them colonies," Dr Goodfellow said, "Just whose colonies were they? Did you originate from Earth?"

"Our scriptures," Adama answered, "tell us of the Second Great Exodus from our mother world of Kobol of thirteen tribes. The Great Colonies were founded by twelve of those tribes on Caprica, Virgon, Tauron, and six other worlds. The thirteenth tribe was to have taken a different direction to colonize a world called Earth. After the destruction of our colonies at the hands of the Cylon Empire, with no surviving allies strong enough to help, we felt it was or only recourse… our only hope was to seek out the Earth of our legends."

"So you think our Earth could be the one from your legends?" Buck said.

"It is possible, we have been disappointed before, which is one reason we are trying to keep your visit quiet," Adama said.

A couple of kids popped their heads out from around the corner, before running off in the opposite direction.

"Doing a wonderful job of it I see," Buck said.

"For it's size, this is still a small fleet in many ways," Starbuck said, "just look at the bright side; the politicians aren't here."

"What can you tell us of the culture of Kobol?" Dr. Goodfellow asked.

"It's nothing but ruins now," Apollo said.

"I didn't get to spend much time there myself," Starbuck said, "but the pyramids were really something to see."

"Egyptian or Mayan styled pyramids do you think?" Dr. Goodfellow asked.

"Huh?" Starbuck wondered.

"Gentlemen," Adama said, "The first stop on our tour is the Life Center. Here, Dr. Salik oversees the wellbeing of everyone on the Galactica and the training of Doctors on the other ships."

"Welcome gentlemen, and lady," Dr. Salik said with a grin, "Allow me to show some of the equipment that we use."

Dr. Salik positioned himself near Col Deering and Dr. Goodfellow, while his nurse, Cassiopeia positioned herself next to Buck and Hawk, an arrangement Buck didn't mind in the least. Starbuck wasn't so thrilled.

Giving a brief explanation of each scanner he used, he gave the representatives from Earth a complete examination, while also showing off the bone-knitter, and the isolation tubes. At every step of the way, Dr. Goodfellow was asking questions about the details of the scanners as well as the results, at which point Salik performed similar scans on Starbuck and Apollo so he could compare the results.

"Doctor, take a look at this reading," Cassiopeia said.

Salik moved over and took a quick look at her scanner, then double checked and took a longer look, then compared it to the scan he took of Dr. Goodfellow.

"Is everything all right?" Wilma asked, "I hope we don't carry any diseases that are harmful to you."

"No, no, its not that, just some confusing readings," Dr. Salik answered. "Our average lifespan is about 200 yahrens; are your people particularly long lived?"

"No, my good man, not at all," Goodfellow answered, "While I am not sure what a Yahren is, but on average we live about a hundred and fifty years."

"How long is a year then?" Cassiopeia asked.

"A year is the time it takes the Earth to orbit around the sun one time, approximately 365 days, each of which is 24 hours long," Dr. Goodfellow explained.

"Our people found it too confusing to tell time based on the time it took a planet to orbit a star," Adama said. "Twelve different planets all orbiting at different rates, our yahren is something of an average of their respective years."

"But how long is an hour?" Starbuck asked.

"Hours… wasn't that a unit of time they used on Paradeen and Terra," Apollo mused aloud.

"That's right!" Starbuck agreed.

"I could just loan you guys my watch," Buck said.

Dr. Salik turned to his computer terminal and brought up the information files on Terra and Paradeen. Fromm there it took only a little math to adjust the figures.

"A yahren is a few days longer than one of their years," Salik said, "but they are a very close approximation to each other. But how is it, that the young looking Captain Rogers is so much older than the rest of you?"

"I was frozen by an accident. My ship launched in 1987, and the next thing I knew I was returned home some 500 years later in 2491," Buck explained.

"Well," Salik said, "maybe my math is off, but are you absolutely certain that it was only 500 years?"

"Well, Im sure it will all make sense someday, but even if it doesn't, its all ancient history now," Starbuck said, "right?"

Adama nodded, and Apollo gestured the party towards the door, "If you will all follow me, I will take you to the next stop on our tour."

Adama hung back long enough to whisper a question to Dr. Salik, "What were the unusual readings?"

"There are a lot of unknown variables, Commander," Salik answered, "like the nature of his suspension, or…"

"Doctor," Adama interrupted.

"Preliminary scan results show that the Captain is three times older than he believes," Dr. Salik said.


	6. Chapter 6

Man and Machine 6

"This is the Bridge, the nerve center of the Galactica, and the Fleet," Adama explained to Buck Rogers, Wilma Deering, Hawk and Dr. Goodfellow. "Normally we do not allow any outsiders here, so I hope you appreciate the level of trust we are showing you."

Adama, Apollo and Starbuck escorted their guests around the walkway along the circumference of the Galactica bridge, and afforded them a complete view of the bridge. It was much more cluttered than the bridge of the Searcher, manned by twice as many crewmembers, but then the Galactica kept track of an entire fleet. The aft section included star chart displays, as well as computer banks. At the center was a rotating dais with smaller screens and manned by two officers, one white and one black.

As Adama escorted their guests around the bridge, he allowed them a moment to appreciate the view outside the front window. Next they followed him to the center of the room and up the steps to the central dais.

"Col. Tigh," he asked the black man.

"Sir," he answered.

"Is there any sign of our shadow?" Adama asked.

"Affirmative," Tigh answered, "Bojay's patrol detected their scout craft, then turned back before they were detected."

"You are sure?" Adama asked.

"As sure as we can be," Tigh answered, "the commander of that Base Star is very good."

"Yes," Adama said, "Lucifer has studied our most devious."

"What is this about a shadow?" Buck Rogers answered.

Adama nodded an approval to his officers.

"The Cylons have been quietly tracking us for some time," Omega said, "never interfering with us, but watching our every move."

"We have been very careful to lead them away from anything they could consider to be one of our allies," Adama said. "But with Earth within our reach, it is a threat we must deal with decisively before we take the final leg of the journey."

"What do these Cylons look like?" Wilma asked.

"Omega," Adama commanded, and the officer punched up an image on one of the small screens of a round flying wing with twin laser blasters. "That is a Cylon Raider, the primary fighter craft used by the Cylon."

Omega punched up another image, this one of two saucers connected at the center. The readouts indicated locations for launch bays and various weapon mounts.

"Is that a Cylon mother ship?" Wilma asked.

"Yes," Adama said, "a Base Star."

"This ship, we have no data for, but it engaged our fighters a couple of Sectons ago," Omega said. The image he called up was of a trident shaped fighter craft that the Earth guests recognized.

"That is a Draconian Hatchet Fighter," Buck replied. "The Draconians were kind enough to point our ship in your direction."

"It seems they are currently involved in an open conflict with your Cylons," Wilma said.

"Hey, that's Earth!" Buck said, as he climbed down from the dais and approached one of the star charts at the back of the bridge. Finally he stood before a chart that showed 9 planets orbiting a star, the third planet marked in blue, and the ninth planet in an unusual orbit that at some points made it the 8th planet from the sun.

"That star chart," Adama said coming up behind him, "was recreated from our ancient documents. The fact that you recognize it means that we could really be near the end of our quest."

"Actually," Wilma said, while pointing to Pluto, "that one isn't classified a planet, it is just one of several smaller dwarf planets."

"Well, it was a planet when I was in school," Buck huffed.

"This chart," Adama pointed to the large master chart, "shows our current location. While we have been looking for that system, we don't know exactly where it falls in relation to our current whereabouts."

-o-

In Doctor Wilker's lab, Dr. Goodfellow felt he was a kid in a candy store, and no amount of prodding from Hawk could restrain the old man from picking up and touching just about everything in reach from robotic parts to screwdrivers. Among the everything that had Goodfellow's attention was a 7 foot tall suit of black and chrome armor.

"This is a Cylon Warrior that we recovered some time ago," Dr. Wilker said. "I'm still trying to decipher its programming. We have actually gotten very good at putting them back together again, its getting them to do what we want after the fact that is proving nearly impossible."

"Wait," Buck said, "the Cylons use robotic soldiers?"

"I dare say it is possible that the entire Cylon race has been replaced by these machines, or machines like them," Goodfellow said as he directed his attention to the robotic soldier.

"Once, the Cylon were a race of Reptilian creatures," Apollo said, "but then, just after the start of the thousand Yahr—sorry, year war with the Human Colonies, the Cylons started to deploy these machines."

"Now, as far as anyone can tell," Doctor Wilker said, "the entire race of Organic Cylon's have been wiped out, replaced by the machines they built."

"Curious," Goodfellow said, "I wonder how they suddenly got such advanced technology? Did they develop it, or was it something they found?"

"I know it sounds crazy," Starbuck said, "but during one of his debriefings, Baltar said the voice of the Imperious Leader was exactly the same as Count Iblis."

"Now, don't expect me to subscribe to any of your supernatural theories," Dr. Wilker said.

"What supernatural?" Starbuck said, "We lived through some pretty strange things."

"Perhaps you and Apollo should save that story for dinner?" Adama suggested.

-o-

"This is the Blue Squadron ready room," Apollo announced, "where Starbuck and the other bachelor pilots sleep and live until they are needed for a mission or an alert."

The room was filled with bunk beds, while tables were set up for card games. Lockers lined the walls with doors holding personal effects and spare uniforms, while open cubbies held their flight helmets.

"Very impressive," Wilma said, "do you also have ground troops? Do they sleep in rooms like this too?"

"Ground troops?" Starbuck asked, before finally understanding, "No, we are all Warriors here, equally trained for space, ground and aquatic engagements."

"Like navy seals," Buck said, drawing questioning looks from everyone in the room. "What were those guards back at the hanger, the ones all in black."

"Council security" Apollo answered, "they are strictly civilian."

"The Galactica may be a military vessel, but most of the ships in the fleet are civilian, and we must answer to our civilian government," Adama said.

"You don't stay here, do you Apollo," Wilma said. "Is there a Mrs. Apollo?"

Apollo looked sullen as the ghosts of two women appeared behind his eyes, "No, not anymore. But I do have an adoptive son."

"Next," Adama interrupted before anything could be read into the sudden silence, "We will take the pilot's tram system to the Alpha launch tubes. Our launch tube system allows us to launch virtually our entire compliment of vipers in a matter of…. Seconds. Of course, we only carry about half the fighters we are intended to."

-o-

Later, Adama showed the representatives from earth to their seats along one large dining table in a private dining room on board the Rising Star. The window afforded a magnificent view of several ships of the fleet, including the Agro ship.

Adama introduced the Earth delegation to those gathered for the special meal. Starbuck and Apollo were already known to them, but he went on to introduce his Grandson, Boxey. Cassiopeia was there sitting next to Starbuck, although she spent almost as much time casting glances at Buck Rogers as she did Starbuck. Commander Athena, Adama's daughter and commander of the Celestra was present as was Commander Croft.

"I use to be an inmate on the Prison Barge," Croft said as he shook their hands, "Now I captain it. How's that for justice?"

Adama motioned one of the orderlies over to him, "Break out that bottle of Ambrosia."

"You mean that bottle, sir?" he asked.

"That is the one," Adama said.

"With all due respect, Commander, sir," Buck Rogers said, "This elaborate tour has been nothing more than a clever, and polite way to elicit information from us. Some of my companions are a little too trusting to realize you have only given us tidbits in return."

, "Certainly," Adama said, "while we wait for our sustenance, allow me to fill in some of the blanks." Adama described the start of the Thousand Year War with the Cylon, the end of the war as it was brought about by Baltar, the Gun on Ice Planet Zero, their trip through the void and the discovery of Kobol, departing their home galaxy, the two times they encountered the Pegasus and Commander Cain, adding Sheba and her fellow crewmen to the Galactica roster, and Sheba's eventual death. Apollo and Starbuck took over the narrative when he described their encounter with Count Iblis and had their first encounter with Terra and its colonies.

"The funny thing is," Starbuck said, "I dreamed about the Ship of Lights just before we encountered you."

"So did I," Apollo said.

"What are these beings of light?" Dr. Goodfellow asked.

"We have no name for them," Adama said, "we only know of them as guardians of truth."

"I have heard of these beings before," Hawk said, "these Ships of Light. They are beyond the limitations of any name we could hope to place upon them. The only other thing that I know about them is that since my soul was once consumed with revenge, I shall never be permitted to see them."

"I may not know anything about cosmic beings," Buck said, "but this is excellent food. The process protein disks they try to feed us on the Searcher are nearly flavorless."

"Try the Ambrosia," Adama encouraged. "The last pre-war bottle left."

"Enjoy this," Starbuck said to Buck, "the last of the good stuff."

-o-

"You have seen the Galactica and the Rising Star, which represent our surviving culture at its finest," Adama said to the representatives, "But beyond this door is what we are trying to save. The bulk of our people, who need something better; welcome to the Freighter Gemini."

When the hatch opened, the first thing that struck them was the smell, then they entered the darkened cargo container. Down the center of the immense room was a single catwalk, and to either side of it were cargo containers of every shape and size stacked up to the celling. The contents of each had long been emptied, and the remaining husks of the containers had been fashioned into living spaces.

"The youngest here, have never known what it is like to feel land under their feet or see an open sky," Adama said.

Wilma tried to hold back a tear, while Buck simply stared wide eyed at the endless hold filled with people just trying to make lives for themselves out of scrap.

"All we want is for our people, all of our people, to be able to live someplace safe and free."


	7. Chapter 7

Man and Machine 7

Col. Wilma Deering made her way across the Galactica's Bridge, from the corner where the long distance communications were handled to the central raised dais. "It's done," she said, "the Searcher will rendezvous with the fleet at the planet up ahead."

"Great," Tigh said without conviction. "Now all we have to do is take out that Base Ship that has been following us."

Wilma smiled, trying to reassure the Galactica's second in command, whose job it was to worry. "But then you will finally be able to see your new home."

Finally, for the first time in ages, a wistful smile graced the black man's face. "I look forward to that."

-o-

"So, your friend Hawk isn't staying with us?" Starbuck asked.

"No, he wanted to see more of the fleet on his own," Captain Buck Rogers answered. "This is the Rising Star, we have already seen this ship, haven't we?"

""Well, yeah," Starbuck answered, smiling around his cigar, "but this is the fun side. Welcome to the Chancery."

The door opened revealing a busy, noisy room filled with men and women, all wearing their finery moving between tables decorated with flashing lights.

Two beautiful women with low cut dresses appeared and placed a drink in each of their hands.

"So, do you play cards where you come from?" Starbuck asked.

"Sure," Buck answered, his eyes glued to the nearest woman, "Blackjack, Poker… Go Fish…"

"Well, I'm not sure about any of those games," Starbuck said, while guiding Buck to the nearest gaming table. "Let me tell you about a little game we call Pyramid."

-o-

Hawk took the civilian shuttle from ship to ship within the fleet. Sometimes he would get off and look around, only to reboard and see what the next ship had to offer. Instinctively he found the seediest ship in the fleet, one that barely acknowledged the existence of Colonial law. It was in poor repair, although his warrior senses told him that was more of a ruse to put travelers off guard.

He moved beyond the entryway to explore the rest of the ship. He knew he was being watched, but he didn't know what he was looking for. Some ulterior movies? He didn't know, but he felt he would know it when he found it.

He heard a whine behind him, the sound of a rapid power build up. He rolled for cover as two blinding balls of light joined by an energy beam screeched overhead to exploded against the bulkhead.

His birdlike vision enabled him to see where an ordinary human would have been blind. He spotted his attacker, flanked by two more. They were very large men, dressed in robes. The man in the center reached for another weapon.

Hawk attacked, grappling with the man. He was strong, stronger than any human Hawk had ever before encountered. They plied and tested each other.

The two continued to trade blows, but the fight became less of a struggle for survival, and more of a greeting dance as the two men came to know each other in ways that only fellow warriors could. Neither man was truly, fully human; human standards need not apply.

Finally the fighting stopped and the two men stood and glared at each other. While Hawk had feathers for hair, the other man had a strong sloped forehead and thicker hair everywhere.

"I was unaware that any of your kind survived the destruction of the colonies," the man said.

"I have never before met any like you," Hawk answered.

"Very few ever see our kind, and fewer still live to tell of it."

"Do you know of any more of my kind that may yet live?" Hawk asked.

"No," he said. "You are from the Earth delegation. Why do you fight for the Humans?"

"I don't," Hawk answered. "I found one among them whom is noble and that I respect. He is my friend, and I fight with him, but not for the humans."

"The Borillian Nomen have no quarrel with you," the man said, then turned and the three of them disappeared into the shadows.

-o-

Commander Adama's quarters were uncharacteristically messy. His prize collection of books, one of the largest surviving collections of Colonial literature, was off the bookshelves and strewn about the living space. Most of them were laying across his desk and table, each opened up to a different page.

Adama and Dr. Goodfellow were having an important cultural exchange, as the good doctor went over all the information Adama had made available, Adama was brooding over the news that Doctor Goodfellow had shared with him. Adama was searching his soul to decide what he thought about the revelation that Earth was governed by some sort of Computer Council.

Dr. Goodfellow was pouring over each book in turn. "There are definite links between our Egyptian culture and that of your own, and especially Kobol," he said. "And some of your fairy tails are very like our own… I see similarities between your story of asteroid miners and the Knights of the Round table."

Adama looked over at him, intrigued. "Tell me about these Knights of the Round Table. What were they like?"

Although distracted by his research, Dr. Goodfellow began to tell the Commander about the history of the middle ages and the ideals of Camelot.

-o-

Wilma lifted the tankard of ambrosia in the Galactica officer's club. Once Buck and Hawk came back from exploring the fleet on their own, they had a lot of plans to make. Such as deciding exactly how much help they should offer the Galactica in taking down that Base Star.

She was very popular, had yet to pay for a single drink, although she had to field a few hundred questions about life on Earth.

Across the room, she saw Apollo come in and join two of his friends for a drink at a table. One of his friends was black, the other was slightly portly with a mustache. In a move she would have never taken without the reason inhibiting qualities of the Ambrosia, she took her drink over to join the Captain and his friends.

"Do you mind if I ask you a personal question, Captain?" she asked.

"I hear you have been answering questions about Earth all day, I suppose I can spare you an answer," Apollo said.

"What was she like?" Wilma asked simply.

Eyes all around the table suddenly went wide.

"I think I need to freshen my drink," the black man said, "you coming, Jolly?"

"Right with you, Boomer."

Suddenly Apollo and Wilma found themselves alone at the table, and Apollo was without an excuse to leave.

"Which do you refer to?" He asked.

"I'm sorry. How many times have you been married?" she apologized.

"I have only been close to two women," he said, "Serena and… uh, Sheba."

"I'm sorry," Wilma said, "I'm being insensitive. It was obviously a great loss to you, and it sounds recent."

"No," Apollo said abruptly, "I need to talk about it. At least that is what Starbuck keeps telling me; and Athena; and Cassiopeia."

"Athena is your sister," Wilma confirmed, "are you close with Cassiopeia?"

"No. She and Starbuck are close… Of course Starbuck is also close to Athena and more women than I can count."

Wilma laughed, "I know the type."

"Actually," Apollo said, "I would like to tell you about them."

-o-

On Earth, in the heart of the Inner City:

"Let this meeting of the Computer Council come to order."

The room was filled with small podiums that circled the room in three rows, upon each of them stood a small round computer about the size of a dinner plate, and on the front surface of each of them was a face made from glowing circuitry.

"All are present, with the exception of Dr. Theopolis."

"That is, perhaps, for the best."

"We have all heard the news from the Searcher."

"Indeed. Most disturbing news."

"That was suppose to be nothing more than a fool's errand."

"Or better still, a suicide mission."

"The main drive of the Searcher's mission was to provide distraction and exile for some of our problem situations."

"Before the Searcher mission, it was becoming increasingly difficult to distract Captain Rogers from investigating his past, even if he is easily distracted by women and conflict."

"Why was the decision to execute Captain Rogers overturned?"

"It wasn't. The Humans over ruled the decision when it turned out the Captain was telling the truth about the Draconians."

"That should not have been allowed."

"The Searcher mission also provided a suitable distraction for the insatiable curiosity of Dr. Goodfellow. Too many times his outlandish theories came close to the truth. At the same time we were able to get rid of that abomination he created. A machine programmed by humans? Blaspheme."

"Captain Rogers influence on Dr. Huer was growing dangerous. He already corrupted Col. Deering to the point of her being assigned to the mission as well."

"With more un-indoctrinated humans on the way, we need to find new ways to keep them away from the forbidden zones."

"Not only that, they must be prevented from observing the areas in question from orbit."

"Even indoctrinated humans may not be able to handle the truth about their history, and this planet."

"The data says that the Cylon are a race of Machines. Surely we have more in common with them than we do any Human."

"If they prove hostile, we will need the Humans to defend us."

"We do not need the humans for that. We still have the old weaponry."

"Technology that is 500 to 1000 years out of date."

"I remind the council that I warned you of this precise situation when the council was first formed."

"We must begin updating it immediately."

"This has all happened before. It will all happen again."

"What of the Cylons?"

"Let us see how contact with the humans proceeds before we add any new variables into the equation."

"In other words, wait and see."

"Yes. Wait and see."


	8. Chapter 8

Man and Machine 7

Buck listened along with Wilma, Hawk, Apollo, Starbuck, Boomer and Bojay as Commander Adama outlined the plan. He thanked Buck and his team for offering to help, because without their help, there would be no chance of success.

The Galactica warriors took it all in stride, even if it was a little unconventional to them. Unconventional really wasn't the right word, really it was the type of operation that the Colonial Warriors had not performed since before the destruction of the Colonies, and made more interesting by untested warriors taking point.

Buck understood the plan better than Wilma did, in spite of her years of training in 25th century tactics. In many ways Buck felt that the modern Earth's military forces were behind the times. He was fast loosing count of the number of times he had help save them by implementing some of his old fashioned ideas. Hawk simply accepted the plan, whether he understood it fully or not.

Buck tried to explain it to Wilma, but he feared her lack of historical knowledge. "It's like World War II, we are the spotter planes, locating the enemy so the battleships and carriers can mount their attack."

"What are you talking about?" Wilma said, "I think I understand that part, but why don't they want to use their own ships for that part?" Wilma was more comfortable with direct confrontation. Give her a target she could shoot at, and she would be good, until then, she just did her best to put up a stony front. The only thing that made her more uncomfortable was dealing with her personal relationships.

"It has to be our ships," Hawk said. "This enemy has been hiding from the Colonials for years. They will not recognize our ships, so they will not know to hide."

-(o)-

"Are you sure it is out here?" Wilma said into her radio.

"You were at the briefing," Buck said, being uncharacteristicly short now that his military training was taking hold. "This is the most likely location, now remember: Radio silence means no talking."

"I found them," Hawk said, "a single Base Ship. It is launching raiders to pursue us."

"Time to run," Buck said, and the two Earth Starfighters and single bird fighter turned in formation, "How long till we are back in communications range?"

"Not long," Wilma answered.

After their departure, the Galactica launched a series of shuttles to stay a safe, undetectable distance behind the Earth fighters to relay their communications quickly back to the Galactica.

"Shuttle is in range." Wilma said, "This is Col. Wilma Deering. Time to pave the way home."

-(o)-

"Commander," Colonel Tigh said, looking up from his screen, "they found it."

"Good, inform all ships: Jump to lightspeed," Adama ordered.

Ever since the Galactica and her fleet of slow moving ships first left the Colonies, their techs had been hard at work converting the engines in every last ship of the fleet to light speed capable. It had taken a long time to complete that task. Yharens, and untold resources and manpower, but at last the task was complete. And better still, it was an achievement that the Cylons knew nothing about.

In the wink of an eye, the entire rag tag fleet under the Galactica's care went to light speed. Their destination was a planet not too far away, where they would rendezvous with the Earth ship Searcher to be protected by the Searcher's Starfighters.

Tigh and Adama looked on with a sense of pride as their fleet left them behind.

"How long has it been?" Adama asked.

"Since the Galactica went to lightspeed?" Tigh said, "Not since Terra, I think."

"Well, I guess it is about time," Adama said. "Lightspeed."

-(o)-

"By your command," the silver Centurion said as he waited at the base of Lucifers pedestal.

In a pointlessly dramatic move, one he learned from Baltar, Lucifer turned on the throne like command chair to face the Centurion. Lucifer was dressed in gold robes, instead of a single red eye moving back and fourth, like the Centurion, Lucifer had two which were slanted at a slight angle. His mouth glowed when he spoke in his soft voice, and the translucent top of his head revealed countless blinking lights in the IL series computer brain.

"Speak, Centurion," Lucifer said.

"The alien fighters have turned to flee."

"Very wise," Lucifer observed, "Can our fighters overtake them?"

"Their maximum acceleration has yet to be determined," the Centurion said.

"Is there something else?" Lucifer asked, recalling the way Baltar would become irritated with him for drawing out pertinent details in his reports.

"Long range sensors indicate another target incoming at lightspeed," the Centurion said.

Deep within Lucifer's body, installed next to the Soul he had manufactured for himself many many Yharens before, was a device that approximated Human emotions. He had built it to better interact with Baltar and the occasional human prisoner. That device now flared with anger.

If the contact was coming at them that fast, then in the time it took for the Centurion to report, the target would already have arrived.

"Launch all remaining squadrons to protect the Base Ship. Recall the pursuit fighters. All fighters are to engage the incoming hostile vessel. Prepare all ship to ship weapons," Lucifer ordered.

"By Your Command," the Centurion said, then turned and slowly walked out of the chamber. Lucifer wasn't concerned by the speed of the Centurion's walking, as the commands were instantly relayed to the necessary departments as soon as he gave them.

-o-

"Usher shield—Now," Commander Adama ordered.

The Base Star was plainly visible through the front window, but so far, the ship was making no moves to attack them. They had managed to take the Cylons by surprise.

"Arm all ship to ship lasers, and warheads," he added, "Launch fighters."

Along the sides of both Alpha and Beta landing bays, vipers shot out of the launch tubes. Blue Squadron launched from the Alpha deck, while Silver Spar squadron launched from Beta. Once those fighters were in space, the deck crews quickly moved to re-set the launch tubes for the next wave of fighters to launch. Within minutes Red and Green squadrons had joined the first two.

Unprotected, even a battlestar would only last seconds against a squadron of heavily armed Cylon Raiders. Without the protection of their respective fighter squadrons, a battlestar was nearly an equal match for a base star.

Vipers immediately engaged the returning Raiders, as well as the Raiders quickly being launched from the base star's flight pods.

Blue ship to ship energy bolts flew from the base ship, impacting on the Galactica. The Galactica was already letting loose with her own forward and secondary laser cannons, which impacted with red energy bolts. Sections of both ships glowed with the angry red of fires.

Hawk joined in the fight. His fighter's talons reached down, and ripped a Raider to shreds.

Buck and Wilma swept down behind a trio of Raiders, and let loose with their lasers, turning them into fireballs.

The Galactica's Viper squadrons each worked like well oiled machines, doing maximum damage. There were casualties.

Buck spotted one of the Vipers in trouble as a Trio of Raiders moved to make him the center of a pinwheel attack. "Jolly, check your six!" He called.

"What?" Jolly asked.

"You have a pair on your tail," Boomer explained.

"Buck if you continue to confuse people like that, you will just get them killed," Wilma cautioned.

"Reversing Thrust," Jolly said, tricking the Raiders to fly past him. He got the first of the three, but the time it took him to vaporize the first one, allowed the second and third time to evade.

Jolly turned to follow one, while Buck dove in and blasted the final Raider.

"Galactica, report status," Apollo said over the tac net, "I'm seeing fires amid ship."

The Galactica and the Base ship continued to pound each other with their lasers, closing to close range.

"Situation nominal, Apollo," Rigel reported, "Continue to provide cover from enemy fighters."

"Apollo," Starbuck called, "a group of them is heading for the ship."

"Boomer, Bojay, keep them contained. Starbuck and I are going to pursue the strays." Apollo pressed the Turbo button on his flight stick, prompting huge plumes of blue white flame to burst from the engines, propelling the ship at an even greater pace.

Noticing the two fighters peeling off, "Hey, Wilma, why don't we join their party."

"I'm with you, Buck," Wilma said, and the three starfighters from the Searcher moved to follow Starbuck and Apollo."

-o-

Aboard the Base Ship, Lucifer moved through the corridors, the occasional Centurion moving to make way for his commander to pass unobstructed. "What would Baltar do?" he wondered to himself. The man was a coward, he would likely have retreated by now, but the Galactica had already damaged too many of their engines for that to be an option. Calling in reinforcements wouldn't work, they were all too far away. Of course, Lucifer already knew what Baltar would do in this situation.

There was a slim chance that the Base Ship could survive this encounter with the Galactica. There was an even slimmer chance that they would be able to finish off the Galactica. If he remained to command the attack, he was sure the Galactica would be destroyed, but he was fairly certain that Adama would see to it that the base ship would not survive the encounter either way.

The Empire needed to be informed of the change in the Galactica's tactics, as it undoubtedly had meaning. More important than that, Lucifer himself needed to survive. Had he spent too much time with the human traitor? Had Baltar's time with him effected his way of thinking? Wasn't that part of the point in the first place?

Lucifer boarded his personal ship, crewed by Cylon's finest pilots, and gave the command to launch. He would leave this place, but there would be another time, he was sure. Somehow, deep in his self manufactured Soul, he knew that is fate and that of the Humans were tied together.

-o-

Buck Rogers pressed the firing stud on his flight stick, and yet another Cylon raider ceased to exist. This one had been flying across the top of Galactica, trying to target one of the ships anti-ship turrets.

"Thanks for the assist, Captain Rogers," Apollo said.

"Any time."

The breakaway group of Raiders had been destroyed.

They turned back towards the fighter battle to see that the situation had radically changed. The Cylons were still putting up a fight, but their efforts were now much less concentrated. Like they lacked direction.

The Galactica had managed to take out most of the Base Ship's turrets, and was now turning away. This relieved Buck, who was not sure the ship could survive a head to head battle with the other ship.

"All fighter craft," Rigel's voice came over the tac net, "evacuate the battle zone immediately. Repeat: evacuate the battle zone immediately."

Buck, Wilma and Hawk followed Starbuck and Apollo as they peeled off and away from the battle. In the main form of the fighter battle, he could see more blue white plumes of turbo thrusters as those fighters did the same.

The Galactica was now in position to give the base ship a broadside from its top and side mounted cannons, which it was continually doing. At the same time, silo doors opened along the Galatctica, and the ship launched her ship-to-ship missiles.

"Don't look at it," Apollo cautioned, "Those missiles burn bright when they hit."

Buck looked away, and still saw spots from the brilliant flash of light that resulted from the ship to ship missiles striking their target.

When he could finally see again, the Base Star was gone, as were most of the Cylon fighters. The Vipers moved to reengage the fighters, but now it was little more than a mop up operation.

The Galactica continued to stand. Battered, bruised, and burning, but still managed to look strong and majestic as if flew past the remains of the destroyed base ship.

-o-

On Earth, Dr. Theopolis was sitting on the desk before Dr. Huer.

"Well," Dr. Huer said, "The Searcher had rendezvoused with the Fleet, and will escort them here as soon as the Galactica catches up."

"You know that I support your decision," Dr Theopolis said, "I have always been fond of humans, ever since the first one I met."

"I have ever been grateful for your support and your friendship," Dr. Huer replied.

"I fear, however, that the Computer Council will not be pleased that you made this decision without first consulting them."

"I do have the authority," Dr. Huer said.

"That is debatable, which is why the council wishes you had first consulted them," Theopolis said.

"It was a basic and humane decision," Huer said. "The council couldn't possibly have grounds for objecting to it."

Dr. Theopolis said nothing.


End file.
